Arson

FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT ARSON - PAGE 2

FORT LAUDERDALE -- Two fires on Sunday gutted a vacant garage at 512 NE Third Avenue, a site owned by the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce, a fire official said. The garage, which had apartments on a second floor, is slated for demolition, as is a vacant house on the same lot, Lt. Dennis Sheehan said. The first fire started about 6:30 a.m.; the second, about 9:20 p.m. Someone was seen running from the second fire and arson is suspected, Sheehan said.

Some folks, apparently, are born with fire in their belly. Three peopel were jailed for allegedly burning four Citra mobile homes to the ground, reports WCJB ABC News-20 in Gainesville. One of the suspects, Kenneth Beare, 42, took a test to be a certified volunteer firefighter -- but didn't pass, according to officials. It looks like that's when he got all fired up ... and into some red hot trouble. Maybe this dude thought practice makes perfect. Get the DUHtails at WCJB ABC News-20 in Gainesville.

Assistant State Attorney John Burton labeled defendant David Rodriguez an arsonist who barricaded his girlfriend inside a burning apartment. "How much more depraved can you be than to burn someone alive?" Burton asked during Thursday's closing arguments at Rodriguez's trial in Palm Beach County Circuit Court. But the jury, after about two hours of deliberation, made Rodriguez a free man for the first time since the Aug. 9, 2011, fire in the 3800 block of Coconut Road near Lake Worth.

A 37-year-old Pembroke Pines man was arrested Monday and accused of setting fire to his workplace office, Davie Police said. Michael Visconti confronted Richard Mallion and demanded money allegedly owed to him, according to the arrest report. Visconti called Mallion around 8:35 p.m. and threatened to destroy the Pro Health Management Inc. offices at 6153 SE 45th St. unless he was paid. Mallion called the police and when an officer arrived Visconti was there, the report stated.

A deputy on patrol spotted a vehicle burning in Golden Gates about 1:47 a.m. Tuesday and then noticed a Ford truck with its lights on leaving the scene, according to a news release from the Collier County Sheriff's Office. After making sure nobody was inside the burning vehicle, the deputy located the truck, but the driver sped asway as the deputy approached. After activating emergency lights on his cruiser, the driver inside the truck finally pulled over, according to the Sheriff's Office.